Neil Patrick Harris to Gay Bullying Victims: "Don't Hurt Yourselves"

The series of suicides among gay youths in recent days has been a real wake-up call for all of us. I’m so glad to see people like Ellen DeGeneres and Neil Patrick Harris taking the time to tape messages of support to young people out there.

“On the heels of a fourth kid who killed himself because of some anti-gay bullying, I heard that MTV was having people talk about it, and I wanted to get involved,” Neil says in the clip. “Here’s what I can say: When you’re young, when you’re in elementary school, when you’re in high school, it’s important to try and fit in and be accepted and to be part of the average. Everyone does it, that’s the way it goes. But let me assure you, if you’re getting bullied and feeling like you’re on the outskirts, it gets better. Because, when you get older, you find that people are actually drawn to individuals with different points of view who are proud of who they are and who make interesting and different and unique choices for them — at least I am.”

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Neil emphasizes that there is no need to harm yourself when something is going bad in your life: “You can act with strength, you can act with courage, you can act with class and stand tall, be proud of who you are. This is a good time we live in, and we’re being granted more and more rights, and it will continue in that direction, and, yeah, be proud.

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“But, for Pete’s sake,” he added, “don’t cut yourself or jump off a bridge. Please.”